For Her
by Kenna Monster
Summary: Josh would do anything for Kara, even bring her to Terra Nova...he just didn't know what consequences there would be for his actions.


[A/N: My version of when Josh is reunited with Kara before everything goes downhill.]

_ "Kara!" Josh yelled, watching his girlfriend stumble forward. She had just made it through the gate and was disoriented, squinting in the bright light. She looked around, smiling when she saw Josh. He took a step forward, grinning like a fool when the world exploded. _

Everything hurt. Each breath tore through his chest, his ribs screaming at him to stop the pain. His head was pounding, and his left arm wouldn't move. Slowly he blinked open his eyes, looking around him. He was lying on a bed in what looked like the hospital, except it was smaller and appeared to be inside a large tent. Groaning, Josh sat up, nearly blacking out from the effort. But he had to see Kara, had to know she was alright.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, the world tilting to the side. He grabbed the bed for support and after a few moments was able to stumble forward. He pulled the curtain aside and looked out, surprised to see that he was in fact inside a large tent, many beds lining the walls with one walkway running down the center. Curtains hung around some of the beds, much like his.

Josh walked down the hall, looking around for any sign of his mom or family. He spotted Reynolds talking to a nurse and hurried over.

"Josh? What are you doing out of bed?" the nurse asked.

"I'm looking for Kara, my girlfriend. She was on the eleventh pilgrimage," Josh replied. He noticed the way Reynolds tensed, how the nurse avoided his gaze. They were hiding something.

"Why don't you let the nurse take you back to your bed and I'll go get your mom and dad?" Reynolds suggested.

"I want to see Kara," Josh argued.

"I'm sure your parents want to talk to you, they've been really worried," Reynolds said.

"Look, I just want to see Kara. Where is she?" Josh demanded.

"Josh, you really shouldn't be up," Reynolds said, reaching for his arm. Josh shoved him away, wrapping an arm around his middle as he ran down the hall.

"Kara!" he yelled, searching wildly for his girlfriend. "Kara!"

"Josh!" Reynolds shouted, following after him. Josh yanked open the door to the tent, stopping in his tracks. They were in the forest, surrounded by smaller tents and campfires. A few people walked past, staring at him.

"Kara!" Josh yelled. He heard Reynolds behind him and ran on, his heart pounding in his chest. Why were they in the forest and not at the colony? What was going on? Nothing was making sense.

Then he saw the gate, and everything clicked. It was sitting in the middle of a small clearing, most of the brush and grass surrounding it charred. The metal was twisted and warped, totally destroyed. As Josh stared at the gate he remembered. Remembered the eleventh pilgrimage. Kara walking through the portal, smiling at him. The bomb going off. Then nothing but pain.

"Josh?" Reynolds asked, walking towards him.

"She's dead, isn't she?" Josh asked, closing his eyes. He didn't want to believe it, didn't want to hear the answer even though he already knew it.

"Yes," Reynolds said softly. "We had to abandon the colony after the Phoenix group sent soldiers through a second portal. They've been working with Mira and the Sixers to take over Terra Nova."

Josh tried to breathe through the pain, the agony of loss. Kara was gone and it was all his fault. He had tried to save her from the future, tried to bring her to a better place, a safer place, and now she was dead. All because of him.

He didn't feel his knees buckle or the ground suddenly rush up to meet him. He distantly heard Reynolds shout something then there were footsteps and someone was holding him. He just let himself go, floating away on the wave of despair. He didn't care anymore.

* * *

"You wanted to see me?" Jim asked as he climbed the ladder up to Commander Taylor's lookout post in one of the trees.

"I wanted you to see the view," Taylor replied, crossing his arms over his chest and staring out at the forest around them. Jim looked out, amazed at how far they could see from their vantage point.

"How's Josh?" Taylor asked, looking at Jim.

Jim sighed. "Still sleeping. Elizabeth can't do much more than wrap his ribs and put a cast on his arm."

"He'll wake up when he's ready," Taylor said. "Just give him time. We've all lost someone in this battle."

"Any news on the Phoenix group?" Jim asked, glad to change the subject.

"Mira and the Sixers are helping them, but besides that we don't know much more about them. They're obviously from Liberty Plaza but I never thought their greed would reach this far," Taylor replied.

"I could use a break from camping, want to try our hand at reconnaissance?" Jim asked. Taylor smiled at him.

"That sounds like a great plan."


End file.
